Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Advisor, Government of India, India, emphasised productivity, skilling and equitable digital access as key to sustainable AI led growth at the International Conclave hosted by DICCI in New Delhi.
New Delhi, February 18, 2026: The Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry hosted the International Conclave titled AI for Inclusion and the Future of Work 2026 at The Park Hotel, New Delhi. The event convened policymakers, global representatives, industry leaders and academic institutions to examine how artificial intelligence can support equitable growth and livelihood security. The conclave served as a precursor to the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
The discussions were structured around four institutional pillars: Global, Thinktank and Policy Advisory, Industry, and Academia.
Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Advisor, Government of India, India, inaugurated the conclave. He stated that productivity gains from artificial intelligence must be supported by investments in skilling, institutional preparedness and equitable access to digital infrastructure to ensure sustained and broad based growth.
Ms. Anne Bouverot, Special Envoy for Artificial Intelligence to the President of France, France, highlighted the importance of trust, transparency and human centric system design in scaling AI responsibly. She underlined the need for international cooperation to align AI standards with democratic values and inclusive development goals.
Mr. Avinash Punekar, Chief Executive Officer, iCreate, India, cautioned that AI requires structured governance and accountability frameworks to prevent concentration of power and economic exclusion. He noted that inclusion must be embedded in leadership representation and regulatory architecture.
Padma Shri awardee Mr. Ravi Kumar Narra, National President, Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, India, said that inclusion must translate into measurable enterprise creation and income stability. He stressed that AI adoption should strengthen livelihoods and accelerate formalisation rather than displace workers.
Dr. Milind Kamble, Founder Chairman, Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, India, stated that education, entrepreneurship and technology must collectively expand economic participation. He added that India’s informal sector must be integrated into higher productivity ecosystems as the country progresses toward 2047.
Across four thematic panels, deliberations addressed AI inequality and global development, governance and accountability standards, formalisation pathways for small enterprises, and digital infrastructure expansion including multilingual AI systems and compute access.
The conclave identified seven development priorities: education, healthcare, agriculture, speedy justice, financial literacy, unorganised workers and entrepreneurship. Participants examined how AI applications can improve learning outcomes, healthcare access, agricultural productivity, dispute resolution efficiency and financial inclusion.
A key outcome of the conclave was the unveiling of the Delhi Declaration on AI for Inclusion and the Future of Work. The document outlines principles on equity by design, worker transition frameworks, inclusive digital infrastructure and governance standards. The Declaration will be presented at the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
The event concluded with a synthesis session consolidating policy recommendations aimed at strengthening inclusive work ecosystems in India’s evolving AI landscape.
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